


Maybe in Another Universe

by jyunos



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Friends With Benefits, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, switching POVs, theres no smut tho so its all fine ig
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 19:29:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21002981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jyunos/pseuds/jyunos
Summary: "Maybe, hopefully, in another universe, we can have our happily ever after and raise our own family or something,” Jaehyun grins.“With 10 cats and dogs?” Taeyong asks, laughing slightly.“Hell yeah.”Fate is cruel, indeed.





	Maybe in Another Universe

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is part of my doyu twt au but can be read as a standalone! 
> 
> not beta'd.

Jaehyun wakes up because of Yuta’s screaming at the door plus the obnoxious loud banging. He looks to his side to see Taeyong curled up, still sleeping soundly with lips into a pout. To Jaehyun, Taeyong looks like an angel, but it could also just be the lovesick fool inside of him. The banging on the door doesn’t seem to stop any moment soon and Jaehyun begrudgingly stands up, stretching his limbs and grabs his boxers that were discarded on the floor prior to last night’s activity. 

Opening the door, he’s met with Yuta and Johnny’s shocked faces. 

“Hey, guys,” he greets tiredly. “Yong is still asleep.”

“Oh, but since you’re awake, can you wake him up and help us clean the place for lunch later?” Johnny asks and Jaehyun ponders for a moment. 

Technically, he  _ could _ wake Taeyong up and help the two guys. But, he  _ could _ also join Taeyong in bed again and go back to sleep. He could probably get about another one hour worth of sleep. 

Jaehyun turns to Johnny who’s looking at him expectingly. “Goodnight, Johnny,” he says instead and closes the bedroom door. He hears Yuta’s laughter but doesn’t pay any mind to it. He turns around and sees a pair of eyes looking at him. “Morning, Yong.” 

Taeyong hums in response and immediately cuddled up against Jaehyun when the latter gets himself under the covers. 

“We need to talk,” Taeyong says later after a moment of silence, “about us, our relationship or whatever this is.” Jaehyun’s heart broke at those words. He knows it was coming, but no matter how many times he tries to prepare himself, he wasn’t ready. 

“Yeah,” he responds later in a quiet voice. 

“I… I don’t think we should continue. I don’t want to chain you to me. I don’t think it’s fair for you,” Taeyong says with a steady voice. 

Jaehyun could only sigh, “I’m doing this because I like you. You know this. You’re not dumb, I know that you already caught on to me having actual feelings for you. I want this, even if you can’t return my feelings.”

“But that’s the exact reason why I want us to stop! I can’t like you back. I tried, but I can’t.”

“I can wait-”

“No… Please, don’t wait for me,” Taeyong begs and turns to Jaehyun. _His eyes are shining_, Jaehyun thought to himself. “You deserve someone better than me. You should be with someone who can love you back, make you happy, make you feel loved. Not me, who’s not capable of feeling romantic feelings.”

Jaehyun holds Taeyong’s hands tightly, a silent plea but Taeyong shakes his head. 

“I’m your best friend too, I want only the best for you. And I’m not what’s best for you.”

Jaehyun only sighs again, “I don’t just like you, you know. I love you. I’m so fucking in love with you. And I know you can’t love me back. I know. But I just wanted to be the reason why you smile and laugh every day. I don’t care if you can’t love me, Yong. I’ve already accepted that fact even though it would be nice if it was possible. I just want to have a place in your life.” 

“But you’re hurting,” Taeyong states. “You’re hurting. I don’t want that. Jaehyun, please, for me? I don’t want to continue hurting you.  _ Yoonoh, please _ .”

Taeyong quickly wipes away the tears that rolled down his face. He didn’t want to cry. He thinks he doesn’t deserve to cry. Because even though he is hurting, he knows Jaehyun is hurting even more. 

They were best friends, they met two years ago in a cafe when Taeyong was craving for sweets and dragging his two unwilling friends to the cafe while Jaehyun was sitting in the corner of the shop at a table for four, typing away on his laptop with a cup of iced coffee. The cafe was packed then, peak hour with customers coming in and out for their caffeine fix or just craving for something sweet. Taeyong, to put it simply, was heartbroken at the fact that there were no tables for the three of them to sit at. On the other hand, Johnny being the shameless one, or sociable as he claims, decided to walk to Jaehyun and ask if they could join him since the other tables were full. 

He was ready to be rejected and glared at because some stressed university students are just that rude and grumpy but instead, Jaehyun only gave them a dimpled smile and nods his head before going back to his work. When Taeyong sat in front of Jaehyun, the latter only looked up and smiled but Taeyong could see the red adorning his ears. 

That was their first meeting and Jaehyun was already crushing on the pretty boy who sat in front of him. Maybe it was fate, maybe it was just purely a coincidence but Jaehyun met the three guys again a week after their meeting in the cafe at the school library. Taeyong was the one who spotted him first, immediately grinning and waving his arm and Jaehyun only assumed it was an indication for him to walk towards them. 

As the four gets closer, Jaehyun finds himself even more attached to Taeyong. However, he willed away any possible feelings for the latter because he didn’t want to chase Taeyong away with his romantic self, and he thought that the feelings were just temporary since he develops crushes on people way too often. 

All it took was for one party to destroy all of Jaehyun’s plans. One party, way too much alcohol in his system, a drunk Taeyong on his lap and an empty bedroom. The moment Taeyong kissed him feverishly, his will dissolves. When the next day comes, Jaehyun woke up first and prepared himself for Taeyong to push him away and probably look at him in disgust. It never came. Instead, Taeyong woke up a minute later with a confused face until he sees Jaehyun putting on his clothes, Taeyong smiled at Jaehyun and said, “I’m glad it was with you.” 

A few months later, with even more drunken nights spent together, Taeyong proposes a crazy idea and Jaehyun is too weak to say no. 

“I mean- we are already comfortable with each other! We know each other’s pleasure spots and stuff, you know? It benefits both of us!” Taeyong exclaims excitedly that night and Jaehyun could only think about how good or bad it would end up. 

But Taeyong was never one to be in a relationship. He goes on a lot of dates only to come home or crashes Jaehyun’s apartment with a pout on his face whining about how his dates  _ sucked _ . It had always been obvious that Taeyong is not fully interested in romance - or being in a relationship, for that matter. Jaehyun knew then he was doomed, no need to confess, no need to even try. Taeyong wouldn’t see him as anything other than a  _ friend _ . 

Fate was truly cruel to him. 

“Jaehyun…” Taeyong whispers and squeezing Jaehyun’s hand lightly, bringing the other back to reality. “Say something, please.” 

“I… Okay,” Jaehyun finally answers. “Because it’s getting tiring too, even if I didn’t want to admit, waiting for you. But you do realise that once if we stop doing whatever we’ve been doing, we can’t go back to before?” Taeyong nods. “Then okay. I will agree with you. Let’s stop doing this.”

“Okay. Okay.”

Neither moved. Taeyong, too scared to make a movement and Jaehyun, just wanting to see Taeyong for a longer time, remembering every detail of him. 

“I will still love you, you know,” Jaehyun says later, “Just that I wouldn’t be with you physically.” 

Taeyong looks up and smiles at Jaehyun sadly, “You’ll have to get over me, someday.”

“Yeah, that’s true. But until then, I don’t think I can just throw my feelings for you easily,” Jaehyun chuckles dryly. “Can I request something?”

Taeyong looks at him with a curious look, head tilting to the side. “Sure.”

“For the last time,” Jaehyun starts, voice shaky. “Can I make love to you?”

Taeyong nods, not trusting his voice anymore. When Jaehyun shifts, he closes his eyes, letting Jaehyun take full control. This was their last time together, and he’d be damned if he doesn’t cherish every single moment. And when Jaehyun whispers, “I love you,” into his ear before placing a delicate kiss on his forehead, Taeyong lets his tears fall. 

✕

“I should go,” Jaehyun announces although doesn’t make an effort to move. Taeyong only nods, arms covering his face. 

Jaehyun wanted to cry, he wanted to scream and curse at Fate for letting them meet, and then making Jaehyun fall deeply and hopelessly in love with Taeyong even though the other couldn’t return his feelings. Jaehyun wanted to blame Fate for everything, for all the hurt he’s been through. He really wanted to cry his heart out, but he knew better than to even shed a teardrop. He knew if Taeyong saw him in that state, the latter would only continue blaming himself for putting Jaehyun in pain. 

Sighing in defeat, Jaehyun gets out of bed and pretends that he didn’t feel Taeyong chase after him even in the slightest movement. It’s better that way. To pretend that they weren’t hurting and treat each other like another one night stand. Jaehyun quickly puts on his clothes from the day before and packs his bag, making sure he had everything that he brought with him the day before in the bag. 

“I’m going,” Jaehyun mumbled and opens the door and walks out and not turning back. In the living room, he’s met with Johnny and Yuta frantically tidying the apartment. “Hey guys, I’m leaving.” 

“What?” Yuta gasps, “The lunch is literally in an hour! Just wait, please.”

“Sorry, Yuta. Can’t. I need to go,” Jaehyun only manages a small smile, hoping to convince Yuta to let him go. 

“Really? Is it really important?” Johnny asks and Jaehyun nods. “I wished I could stay but, I can’t. But I’ll see you guys around, alright?”

Johnny furrows his eyebrows, “The fuck is that supposed to mean.” 

Jaehyun ignores Johnny and goes to the front door to put on his shoes. As he was wearing his shoes, Taeyong comes out of his room, wearing sweatpants and one of Jaehyun’s old t-shirts that Taeyong had stolen. Jaehyun didn’t even have the heart to ask Taeyong to return his clothes. He continues putting on his shoes, tying the knots nicely before standing up to his full height only to be shocked to see Taeyong crying again. 

“Why are you crying?” Jaehyun laughs humourlessly. 

“I’m gonna miss you. A lot. You’re my best friend and we’re always studying together, it’s gonna be different without you around now,” Taeyong sobs. 

“You drama queen, you have Johnny and Yuta with you all the time,” Jaehyun teases, his last efforts to making Taeyong at least smile before he goes. 

Taeyong shakes his head. “I’m sorry that I’m such a fucking mess that I had to break our friendship too.”

“Hey, Yong. C’mon, stop it now. It’s fine, alright? Sure, it hurts a lot, but I guess it’s better to end now than later when we’re in too deep and can’t get ourselves away from each other. And for the record, I’m gonna miss you a lot too. We couldn’t get our happy endings with each other in this universe. But maybe, hopefully, in another universe, we can have our happily ever after and raise our own family or something,” Jaehyun grins. 

“With 10 cats and dogs?” Taeyong asks, laughing slightly. 

“Hell yeah.” 

“I’m gonna miss you so fucking much,” Taeyong chokes, sniffling as he hugs Jaehyun tightly. “You were the best thing that happened to me, and I’m sorry that I’m the worst thing that ever happened to you.”

“Stop saying that,” Jaehyun mutters, “I don’t want to hear any more apologies. I’m gonna miss you, Yong. I hope you’ll be happy soon, okay?”

“You too.”

Taeyong pulls away first only to look at Jaehyun. Not thinking, Jaehyun brings his hand up and wipes the tears off Taeyong’s cheeks. “Don’t cry anymore, please.”

“I’ll try.”

“Taeyong, can I kiss you?” Jaehyun froze, he’s not supposed to say that - he shouldn’t. Not when they were supposed to be parting ways. But he couldn’t help it, especially not when Taeyong looks so beautiful looking up at him with his big eyes which are full of emotions. “No- nevermind, don’t answer that. I shouldn’t have said that-”

Before Jaehyun could continue rambling out of panic, Taeyong tiptoes and connects his lips with Jaehyun’s. Jaehyun kisses back immediately. Through that kiss, Jaehyun conveys all his unsaid feelings. Through that kiss, Jaehyun forgives Taeyong for any hurt that has been caused. Through that last kiss, Jaehyun said his goodbye. 

When they finally pull away, Jaehyun looks at Taeyong for the last time going out. “I’ll see you around.”

“I’ll see you around,” Taeyong echoes, eyes closed, not wanting to watch Jaehyun walk away and never return. They both know those words were just empty promises. The kiss was their goodbye, a promise to never cross paths again. 

Taeyong takes a deep breath and opens his eyes. In front of him was no one, the front door already closed. Everything’s over now. 

“Taeyong… What was that about?” Yuta asks softly. Taeyong turns around and crumbles down to the floor the moment he sees his two best friends looking at him with worry in the eyes. He cries his heart out, his throat choked up till he couldn’t breathe properly. He clings to Yuta while Johnny goes to the kitchen to grab a glass of water for him. 

“It hurts,” He cries. 

Taeyong could only wish that the Lee Taeyong and Jung Jaehyun of other alternative universes would always be happy and not go through the same things that he did in this universe. 

**Author's Note:**

> yong could be aro, or picky in his partners... or just an idiot idk, u choose hehe
> 
> kudos and comments are very much appreciated ♡
> 
> twt - @t7scvlt  
curioscat - @milkclubs


End file.
